Siege of Drobeta

The Siege of Drobeta occurred in 270 AD during the Crisis of the Third Century. The Roman Legio IV Pannonica, commanded by Pacuvius Atronius, captured the Roxolani village of Drobeta in order to create a buffer zone with the rest of the hostile Roxolani people.

Background
By 270 AD, the Roman Empire was in a catastrophic crisis: the usurpers Zenobia and Tetricus I had created their own secessionist Gallic and Palmyrene empires, respectively; Roman provinces such as Galatia, Lydia, Egypt, Numidia, Mauretania, Hispania Citerior, Britannia, and Lusitania were now under the control of autonomous governors allied to one of the imperial claimants; and the barbaric Germanic tribes were pouring into Rome's borders. While the city of Rome itself was under the control of the Roman Senate's candidate for emperor, Quintillus, the majority of Romans sought for the popular general Lucius Aurelian to become emperor. In the autumn of 270 AD, Aurelian began to raise or bolster legions across his portion of the empire, which was centered around Pannonia, and included the Balkans, parts of North Africa (Tunisia), and parts of Dacia. As Aurelian prepared to personally lead an invasion of Italy to overthrow the pretender Quintillus, he raised a new legion, Legio IV Pannonica, to defend the eastern borders of the empire as he left Sarmizegetusa and the east open to assault. Legio IV Pannonica was commanded by his general Pacuvius Atronius, who was tasked with defending the east from the invading Roxolani, Buri, Quadi, Marcomanni, and Goths. Aurelian succeeded in making peace with the Marcomanni and Goths, who were eager to prevent war. However, the Quadi, Buri, and Roxolani were warlike, and they refused to surrender. Atronius decided to lead Legio IV Pannonica to attack the small Roxolani village of Drobeta in Dacia, intending to force the Roxolani into surrender.

Battle
The 880-strong Roxolani garrison under Chodarzos took up positions in the woodlands, and the Roman army started off in the clearing of the woods. The Romans advanced on the Roxolani in a massive charge, and the cowardly Roxolani fled after a short period of melee combat. The battle was incredibly short, as the Roxolani had no defensive structures to assist them, and the might of the Romans and their Germanic mercenaries quickly overwhelmed them.

Aftermath
The Romans occupied the small village of Drobeta, their first victory over the Roxolani. However, the Romans were forced to leave the village undefended in order to relieve Sarmizegetusa from the Roxolani king Meuakos' lrage army.